Tooth-brush.



J.'P. HOFFMAN.

TOOTH BRUSHt APPLICATION FILED @0131,1913,

1,128,139, Petenfeed Feb.9,1915.

Mmmm f' .TOEN P. HOFFMAN, 0F ALBANY, NEW YORK.

TOOTH-BRUSH.

Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Feb. Sfr,

Application illed October 31, 1913. Serial No. 798,498.

To all whom it may concern:

li it known thatv I, JOHN P. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, haveinvented certain.new and useful improvements in Tooth-Brushes, of whichthe Yfollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to tooth brushes, and the principal object of theinvention is to provide a brush which will polish as well as clean theteeth.

Am ther object of the invention is to provide on improved type ofpolishing blocks which are so constructed that the polishingpendel-,will he prevented from being quickly removed from the blocksWhile brushing the teeth.

Ane iher object of the invention is to so construct the brush that thecleaning bristles will thoroughly clean the teeth and the polishingblocks polish them at the same time.

s invention is illustrated in the accomni drawings whereint ure l a planview of the improved brash; Fig. Q is an elevation of the brush with *hehandle partially broken away to` show the manner of connecting thehandle with the head; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing themanner of mountinq' the blocks.

' Y'hc head l() of the brush is curved longitudinally.y as shown in Fig.2, and is provided with a neck l1 which is removably crynnocted with thehandle 12 by means of a `threaded stem 13 screwed into the socket i4formed in the handle. By this construction a valuable handle, such assilver or any other substance, can be provided, and brush Y vheadsformhd of bone or any other suitable material removably connected withthe handie.

A plurality of rows of bristles 15 are secured in the brush head 10 andextend diagonally across the head as shown in Fig. l so that thebristles will be so positioned that they will operate very effectivelyupon the teeth -andcloan the same.v Blocks 16 which are Vformed ofrubber or some other 'soft material such as leather or the like arecarried by the head between the rows of bristles with their' inner endportions fitting into sockets i7 formedl in the head.

This manner of mounting the blocks is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.These blocks tion thus causing the teeth to be very thoroughly polished.l

From'an inspection of Fig. 2 it will be readily seen that the bristlesl5 extend beyond the outer faces o'f the blocks i6 and that thereforethe bristles will thoroughly clean the teeth while the blocks arepolishing the same. By having the blocks provided with the grooves thepowder Will lodge in thesegrooves and Will therefore not he immediatelyscraped from the blocks when the brush is in use. The head 10 is curvedas shown in Fig. 2 so that the brush will fit easily in the mouth andconform to the contour of the teeth.

A brush has therefore been provided which serves the double purpose ofcleaning and polishing the teeth and which is so constructcd that theteeth will be thoroughly cleaned and polished by the same opera tion. Itmay also be noted that the brush is so constructed that it will fiteasily in the mouth and one in which the head can be removed from themore valuable handle and thrown away when the bristles and block becomeworn out.

lVhat is claimed `is:

In a brush of the character described a head, rows of bristles extendingdiagonally across said head, polishing blocks carried by said headbetween said rows of bristles, said blocks having their side facesextending parallel to said rows of bristles and provided upon theirouter faces with grooves extending parallel to said bristles, saidbristles extending beyond the outer faces of seid polishing blocks, andsaid blocks being set in pockets in the brush head.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

` JOHN P. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK Tm'rz, MARGARET Trs'rz.

